Within Drake
How Did Drake Get So Many Hits?
Drake's record-breaking chart runs show how streaming changed what a rap superstar could be.
On this page
- Why whole albums chart at once
- Singles built for playlists and replay
- Awards, certifications and fan debates
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Introduction
Drake became one of the defining artists of the streaming era because his music was built for the way people now listen: playlists, repeat plays, mood tracks, quick viral moments and giant albums that dominate charts all at once. Earlier rap stars could score huge singles, but Drake helped normalise a different model — one where an artist stays constantly present across streaming platforms and turns that attention into historic chart numbers.
By the mid-2020s, Drake had accumulated more than 360 Billboard Hot 100 entries, more than 80 top-10 hits and double-digit No. 1 singles. Billboard and RIAA data also placed him among the most commercially successful digital artists ever. [Billboard]billboard.comDrake | Biography, Music & NewsDrake. Billboard Hot 100™. 13 No. 1 Hits. 362 Songs. 81 Top 10 Hits. Billboard Hot 100™. Billboar… [RIAA]riaa.comGold & PlatinumGold & Platinum - RIAAArtist; SHARE. DRAKE, 277.5; SHARE. MORGAN WALLEN, 215; SHARE. RIHANNA, 199; SHARE. EMINEM, 167…Read more… But the interesting part is not only the numbers. It is the mechanism behind them: long tracklists, instantly recognisable hooks, strategic collaborations, emotional replay value and an understanding of streaming culture that often seemed years ahead of rivals.
How Did Drake Get So Many Hits?
Drake’s rise matched a major industry change. During the CD era, success depended heavily on physical album sales and radio rotation. In the streaming era, every song play counts toward charts and certifications. Drake adapted faster than almost anyone.
His music often works in several listening situations at once. A Drake album can contain introspective late-night tracks, aggressive rap records, club songs, melodic pop hooks and social-media-caption lines all on the same project. That variety increases the odds that different songs will end up in different playlists and moods.
He also mastered what streaming platforms reward most: familiarity and replayability. Songs such as “One Dance”, “God’s Plan”, “Hotline Bling” and “Nice for What” were catchy enough for radio but also easy to replay casually while studying, gaming, driving or scrolling social media. That matters because streaming numbers are built from repeated listening habits, not just one-time purchases.
Billboard statistics show how extreme the results became. Drake set records for the most Hot 100 entries and the most songs debuting at No. 1. [Billboard]billboard.comBiography, Music & News1. He's gone on to have multiple Hot 100 hits, including 2018's "God's Plan," "Work" with Rihanna in 2016, and 202… He also became the first artist to score 100 top-10 hits on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart. [The Source]thesource.comThe SourceDrake Becomes First Artist to Score 100 Top 10s…Feb 27, 2025 — Drake has made history as the first artist to achieve 100 top…
Why Whole Albums Chart at Once
One of the biggest changes in the streaming era is that almost every track on a major album can chart simultaneously. Drake became the clearest example of this phenomenon.
Before streaming dominated music, casual listeners usually knew only the singles from an album. But when streaming services count every play, fans often listen through an entire release during opening weekend. If the artist is popular enough, dozens of tracks can enter the charts together.
Drake’s albums were especially suited to this system because they were often very long. Scorpion contained 25 tracks. Certified Lover Boy had 21. [Spotify]open.spotify.comCertified Lover BoyDrake. 202121 songs, 1 hr 26 min. Champagne Poetry. E. Drake · Papi's Home. E. Drake · Girls Want Girls (with Lil Baby). E. Drake, Lil Ba… Critics sometimes argued that these bloated tracklists existed partly to maximise streams rather than create tightly edited albums. Fans and critics debated whether Drake was making “playlist albums” instead of traditional albums with a focused structure.
The strategy worked commercially. Streaming rewards volume because more tracks create more opportunities for plays. Even if listeners replay only a few favourites heavily, the full project still benefits from opening-week curiosity and playlist placement.
This changed how chart dominance looked in practice:
- Drake could flood the Hot 100 with nearly every song from a new release.
- Album cuts that would once have stayed obscure could become charting hits.
- Streaming totals from the whole album strengthened both singles and album rankings simultaneously.
Some fans saw this as proof of unmatched popularity. Others argued it inflated chart statistics compared with earlier eras when only official singles received major chart attention. Reddit and music-forum debates often focused on whether streaming-era chart records should be compared directly with pre-streaming legends. [Reddit]reddit.comBillboard ranks all 327 of Hot 100 hits from DrakeDrake now has 10 albums charting on Billboard 200, tying Taylor Swift for most albums currently by an artist.Read more…
Still, even critics usually admitted that Drake understood the system better than almost anyone else.
Singles Built for Playlists and Replay
Drake’s streaming success was not only about quantity. His songs were also engineered for repeat listening in ways that fit platform algorithms and user habits.
The “mood playlist” advantage
Spotify and Apple Music changed listening from album-first to playlist-first. Drake adapted by making tracks that slid naturally into popular playlist categories:
- relaxed late-night songs
- melodic rap playlists
- gym tracks
- breakup playlists
- party records
- viral meme songs
A track like “Passionfruit” works differently from “Nonstop”, yet both fit major streaming environments. One feels atmospheric and emotional; the other is blunt and repetitive in a way that sticks in your head after one listen.
Drake’s vocal style also mattered. He often avoids extremely technical or dense rap performances in favour of conversational hooks and memorable melodies. That made his music easier for broad audiences to replay casually, including listeners who were not hardcore rap fans.
Strategic collaborations
Streaming platforms reward network effects. Drake constantly collaborated with artists from different genres and regions, which expanded his reach into multiple fan bases at once.
Over the years he linked himself to:
- Rihanna
- Future
- Lil Baby
- Bad Bunny
- 21 Savage
- Travis Scott
- Wizkid
- Tems
These collaborations helped Drake remain central to streaming culture even as trends changed. A listener entering through Afrobeat, trap, pop or R&B could still encounter Drake.
Meme culture and quotable lyrics
Streaming-era hits often spread through clips, captions and short-form video. Drake’s music produced endless instantly recognisable lines and reaction memes. “Hotline Bling” became one of the internet’s biggest meme songs partly because the music video was so easy to parody.
That online visibility fed streaming momentum. Viral moments no longer simply promoted songs — they became part of the listening ecosystem itself.
Why Streaming Helped Drake More Than Earlier Superstars
Streaming favours artists who can hold attention constantly instead of disappearing between album cycles. Drake excelled at that.
He released music frequently, appeared on huge guest features and maintained a near-permanent online presence. Instead of treating albums as rare events separated by years, he operated more like a continuous content engine.
Researchers studying Billboard chart history found that streaming-era charts increasingly favour established hitmakers, with fewer new artists breaking through and top songs staying dominant for longer periods. [arXiv]arxiv.orgIs it getting harder to make a hit? Evidence from 65 years of US music chart historyMay 13, 2024… Drake became one of the clearest examples of that pattern.
His music also crossed genre boundaries more easily than many earlier rap stars. Streaming platforms blur genre divisions because listeners jump between styles quickly. Drake could appear beside rappers, pop singers or dance artists without sounding out of place.
That flexibility helped him avoid becoming trapped in one musical lane. Even when trends changed — dancehall influence, trap production, melodic rap, Afro-fusion sounds — Drake usually adapted fast enough to remain commercially central.
Awards, Certifications and Fan Debates
Drake’s commercial numbers became so large that they started to reshape discussions about music records themselves.
RIAA certification data placed him among the highest-certified digital singles artists ever, with hundreds of millions of certified units. [RIAA]riaa.comGold & PlatinumDRAKE ·… He also accumulated a huge number of Diamond-certified songs, including hits such as “God’s Plan”, “One Dance” and “Hotline Bling”. [Wikipedia]WikipediaList of highest-certified music artists in the United StatesList of highest-certified music artists in the United States
Spotify records told a similar story. Scorpion and later Certified Lover Boy broke major single-day streaming records on release. [uDiscover Music]udiscovermusic.comdrake certified lover boy spotify streaming recorduDiscover MusicDrake's 'Certified Lover Boy' Spotify's Most-Streamed…5 Sept 2021 — Drake's sixth studio album Certified Lover Boy has…
But Drake’s dominance also created backlash.
“Quantity over quality” arguments
A common criticism is that Drake releases too much music designed to game streaming systems. Critics argue that oversized albums and endless content drops prioritise chart performance over artistic focus.
That argument became especially loud around projects like Scorpion and later releases where reviewers accused him of padding albums with filler tracks. Some writers described his strategy as highly data-driven: make enough songs that several are guaranteed to explode online. [Business Insider]businessinsider.comBusiness Insider The 13 artists with the most No1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100This article highlights the 13 artists with the most No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, showcasing…
Are streaming-era records fair comparisons?
Another debate centres on whether streaming statistics should be compared directly with older eras.
In previous decades:
- listeners had to buy albums physically
- chart tracking methods were narrower
- album tracks rarely charted without radio promotion
Streaming changed all of that. Critics say this inflates modern chart totals, especially for artists who release very long albums. Supporters counter that streaming competition is brutal in different ways and that staying culturally relevant for more than a decade is an achievement by itself.
Drake became the centre of this argument because his records are so extreme. Whether fans celebrate or criticise the numbers, his career forced people to rethink what chart success means in modern music.
The Blueprint for the Streaming Rap Superstar
Drake did not invent streaming, but he became one of the first artists to fully understand its incentives and possibilities. His career showed that a rap superstar could dominate not only through lyrical skill or radio singles, but through constant engagement, playlist visibility, genre flexibility and replay value.
That blueprint influenced much of modern rap and pop. Long albums, melodic hooks, algorithm-friendly releases and multi-genre collaborations became normal partly because Drake proved how powerful they could be commercially.
Even artists who reject his style still operate in an industry shaped by the rules he helped master.
Amazon book picks
Further Reading
Books and field guides related to How Did Drake Get So Many Hits?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
The Song Machine
Explains the craft and industry systems behind repeatable pop hit production.
How Music Got Free
Gives background on the shift from physical sales to digital listening economics.
The Big Payback
Connects Drake’s chart dominance to hip-hop’s long commercial evolution.
Streaming, Sharing, Stealing
Explains how digital platforms changed media consumption and success metrics.
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Endnotes
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Source: billboard.com
Link: https://www.billboard.com/artist/drake/chart-history/hsi/Source snippet
Drake | Biography, Music & NewsDrake. Billboard Hot 100™. 13 No. 1 Hits. 362 Songs. 81 Top 10 Hits. Billboard Hot 100™. Billboar...
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Source: riaa.com
Title: Gold & Platinum
Link: https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=top-artists-digital-singlesSource snippet
Gold & Platinum - RIAAArtist; SHARE. DRAKE, 277.5; SHARE. MORGAN WALLEN, 215; SHARE. RIHANNA, 199; SHARE. EMINEM, 167...Read more...
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Source: open.spotify.com
Title: Certified Lover Boy
Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/3SpBlxme9WbeQdI9kx7KAVSource snippet
Drake. 202121 songs, 1 hr 26 min. Champagne Poetry. E. Drake · Papi's Home. E. Drake · Girls Want Girls (with Lil Baby). E. Drake, Lil Ba...
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Source: reddit.com
Title: Billboard ranks all 327 of Hot 100 hits from Drake
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/hiphopheads/comments/1avrogm/billboard_ranks_all_327_of_hot_100_hits_from_drake/Source snippet
Drake now has 10 albums charting on Billboard 200, tying Taylor Swift for most albums currently by an artist.Read more...
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Source: arxiv.org
Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.07574Source snippet
Is it getting harder to make a hit? Evidence from 65 years of US music chart historyMay 13, 2024...
Published: May 13, 2024
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: List of highest-certified music artists in the United States
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-certified_music_artists_in_the_United_States -
Source: Wikipedia
Title: List of highest-certified digital singles in the United States
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-certified_digital_singles_in_the_United_States -
Source: riaa.com
Title: Gold & Platinum
Link: https://www.riaa.com/gold-%20platinum/?col=highest_level&ord=desc&se=drake&tab_active=default-awardSource snippet
DRAKE ·...
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Source: billboard.com
Link: https://www.billboard.com/artist/drake/Source snippet
Biography, Music & News1. He's gone on to have multiple Hot 100 hits, including 2018's "God's Plan," "Work" with Rihanna in 2016, and 202...
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Source: riaa.com
Link: https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/Source snippet
RIAA Gold & PlatinumRIAA's historic Gold® & Platinum® Program defines success in the recorded music industry. Originally conceived to hon...
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Source: riaa.com
Title: Gold & Platinum
Link: https://www.riaa.com/gold-%20platinum/?col=label&ord=asc&se=drake&tab_active=default-awardSource snippet
DRAKE ·...
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Source: riaa.com
Title: Gold & Platinum
Link: https://www.riaa.com/gold-%20platinum/?col=certification_date&ord=asc&se=drake&tab_active=default-awardSource snippet
DRAKE...
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Source: riaa.com
Title: Gold & Platinum
Link: https://www.riaa.com/gold-%20platinum/?se=drake&tab_active=default-awardSource snippet
RIAA's historic Gold® & Platinum® Program defines success in the recorded music industry. Originally conceived to honor artists and t...
-
Source: riaa.com
Title: Gold & Platinum
Link: https://www.riaa.com/gold-%20platinum/?col=artist&ord=asc&se=drake&tab_active=default-awardSource snippet
DRAKE...
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Source: riaa.com
Title: Gold & Platinum
Link: https://www.riaa.com/gold-%20platinum/?col=label&ord=desc&se=drake&tab_active=default-awardSource snippet
DRAKE ·...
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Source: Wikipedia
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_Hot_100_chart_achievements_and_milestonesSource snippet
List of Billboard Hot 100 chart achievements and milestones"The Albums With The Most Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 Hits: Drake's 'Certified...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Drake (musician)
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_%28musician%29Source snippet
Drake (musician)He has achieved 14 Billboard 200 number-one albums, a joint-record among male soloists, and 13 Billboard Hot 100 numbe...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Certified Lover Boy
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certified_Lover_BoySource snippet
Certified Lover BoyIt broke Apple Music and Spotify 2021 records for largest streaming debut within a single day, beating Drake's own...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/popheads/comments/ztsym1/drake_surpasses_eminem_as_highestcertified/Source snippet
who is at 166 million.Read more...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/popheads/comments/phihdx/drakes_certified_lover_boy_becomes_spotifys_most/Source snippet
It definitely has better songs. Fountain, Race My Mind, Heartbreak. I think NWTS, Scorpion, IYRTL...Read more...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/popheads/comments/1kxpv50/drake_breaks_record_with_10_riaa_diamond/Source snippet
) 21 in total once he updates · First Artist in history to surpass...Read more...
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Source: open.spotify.com
Link: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4Source snippet
spotify.comDrake... Billboard Hot 100, making him the first male artist to accomplish that feat. Drake followed up with a slew of guest s...
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Source: royaltyexchange.com
Title: kendrick lamar breaks chart records as drake exits hot 100
Link: https://royaltyexchange.com/blog/kendrick-lamar-breaks-chart-records-as-drake-exits-hot-100Source snippet
Kendrick Lamar Breaks Chart Records as Drake Exits Hot...14 Oct 2024 — For the first time since April 2022, Drake is absent from the Bil...
Published: April 2022
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Source: businessinsider.com
Title: Business Insider The 13 artists with the most No
Link: https://www.businessinsider.com/artists-with-most-no-1-songs-billboard-hot-100-chartSource snippet
1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100This article highlights the 13 artists with the most No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, showcasing...
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Source: businessinsider.com
Title: Business Insider Only 91 songs have debuted at No
Link: https://www.businessinsider.com/every-no-1-song-debut-billboard-hot-100Source snippet
1 in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 - here they all areSince the Billboard Hot 100 adopted modern tracking methods in 1991, only 91...
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Source: thesource.com
Link: https://thesource.com/2025/02/27/drake-becomes-first-artist-to-score-100-top-10s-on-billboards-streaming-songs-chart/Source snippet
The SourceDrake Becomes First Artist to Score 100 Top 10s...Feb 27, 2025 — Drake has made history as the first artist to achieve 100 top...
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Source: udiscovermusic.com
Title: drake certified lover boy spotify streaming record
Link: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/drake-certified-lover-boy-spotify-streaming-record/Source snippet
uDiscover MusicDrake's 'Certified Lover Boy' Spotify's Most-Streamed...5 Sept 2021 — Drake's sixth studio album Certified Lover Boy has...
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Source: businessinsider.com
Link: https://www.businessinsider.com/drake-iceman-habibti-maid-of-honour-albums-chart-records-reviews-2026-5Source snippet
This bold move, characterized by sheer volume over artistic evolution, highlights Drake's savvy business mindset. The albums, though comm...
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Source: udiscovermusic.com
Title: drake billboard hot 100 record
Link: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/drake-billboard-hot-100-record/Source snippet
Drake Breaks Record For Most 'Billboard' Hot 100 EntriesMar 17, 2020 — Drake has since earned 36 Top Ten hits on the Hot 100 and six No.1...
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Source: udiscovermusic.com
Title: drake no 1 debuts billboard hot 100
Link: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/drake-no-1-debuts-billboard-hot-100/Source snippet
Drake Breaks Record For Most No.1 Debuts On Billboard...10 May 2022 — Drake has broken his tie with Ariana Grande and BTS to be crowned...
Published: May 2022
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Source: washingtonpost.com
Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/07/05/billboards-charts-used-to-be-our-barometer-for-music-success-are-they-meaningless-in-the-streaming-age/Source snippet
Billboard's charts used to be our barometer for music...5 Jul 2018 — And, despite its own lackluster reviews, Drake's “Scorpion” utterly...
Additional References
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Source: facebook.com
Title: back in 2018 spotify heavily promoted drakes album scorpion helping him get to n
Link: https://www.facebook.com/according2hiphop2/posts/back-in-2018-spotify-heavily-promoted-drakes-album-scorpion-helping-him-get-to-n/1099591281559826/Source snippet
Back in 2018, Spotify heavily promoted Drake's album “...♻️ Drake's 'Certified Lover Boy' album Impact ▫️ 5b+ streams on Spotify ▫️ Neve...
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Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYtBBkVt7nd/Source snippet
1 Hot 100 hits, 81 Top 10 hits, and 362 Hot 100 entries, which reflects how often his songs perform well...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/Billboard/posts/drake-extends-his-record-for-the-most-career-entries-on-the-hot100-this-week-upp/1014405223893389/Source snippet
upping his total from 338 to 358, thanks to tracks from his new album with...Read more...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/RIAA/posts/drake-has-the-most-riaa-diamond-certifications-of-any-artist-ever-hold-on-were-g/1162918262544165/Source snippet
, Drake is ranked as the highest-certified digital singles...Read more...
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Source: revolt.tv
Title: revisiting drake billboard hot 100 no 1 songs
Link: https://www.revolt.tv/article/revisiting-drake-billboard-hot-100-no-1-songsSource snippet
Revisiting Drake's Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs23 Jul 2025 — Drake has earned 13 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits — more than any other rapp...
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Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYXza_dCN05/?hl=en-gb&img_index=14Source snippet
Views — 12B+ From classics to chart-topping hits, Drake...Read more...
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Source: complex.com
Title: drake has the most hot 100 entries ever
Link: https://www.complex.com/music/a/j-rose/drake-has-the-most-hot-100-entries-everSource snippet
His 2017 project, More Life, also had all 22 of its tracks reach the Hot 100 chart. That would be the catalyst that lifted Drake above hi...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/djenvy/posts/drakes-take-care-album-has-officially-been-certified-riaa-diamond-after-selling-/1366850914808089/Source snippet
ling 10 Million Units...becoming his first ever diamond...
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Source: xxlmag.com
Title: drake top digital singles artist
Link: https://www.xxlmag.com/drake-top-digital-singles-artist/Source snippet
Drake Becomes RIAA's Top Certified Digital Singles Artist2 Jul 2018 — According to the RIAA, Drake has moved a total of 142 million digit...
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Source: guinnessworldrecords.com
Link: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/118853-biggest-selling-digital-artist-usSource snippet
Biggest-selling digital singles artist (USA)Drake has scored 80 platinum, 38 multi-platinum (both unmatched by any other act) and three d...
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